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Israel, through intermediaries, has delivered a sharp warning to the Syrian regime led by Abu Muhammad al-Jolani about the strengthening of Sunni militants in the south of the country.
According to Walla, Israel has made it clear that it will not allow the expansion of the influence of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group near its borders. Any attempts to gain a foothold in the region will be immediately attacked, sources in the Israeli security forces say.
Israeli air strikes and the position on Khartoum
As part of this policy, the Israeli Air Force has already carried out several strikes on HTS facilities in Syria to prevent the construction of new bases and strengthen their presence.
The HTS is a Sunni jihadist group that was formed in 2017 by the merger of several militant factions, some of which were previously part of al-Qaeda. The organisation played a key role in the Syrian civil war and was a major factor in the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
Today, it is headed by Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, who became president of Syria after the change of power in Damascus.
Israel and Russia: a common interest in Syria
Against the backdrop of President al-Jolani’s appeals to Arab countries to support the HTS against Israeli attacks, Israel supports the expansion of Russia’s presence in the coastal areas of Syria.
According to Israeli intelligence services, Jerusalem prefers Russian influence in the region to Turkish influence, as Moscow, unlike Ankara, does not support Sunni rebels and has no interest in strengthening the HTS.
Israel believes that Turkey’s strengthening in Syria could lead to destabilisation and threaten the security of the Jewish state.
Strengthening Israeli positions in Syria
Amid rising tensions, the IDF is expanding engineering work in the Golan Heights to strengthen its positions. Security components for the Israeli military have been improved, fortifications on the border have been enlarged, and interaction with the local population in the controlled areas has been strengthened.
Israeli security sources confirm that Israel has no intention of abandoning the buffer zone to protect its northern border, despite criticism from the Syrian authorities.
The situation on the border between Syria and Israel remains tense, and Jerusalem continues its military and political struggle to minimise the threats posed by Sunni radicals in the region.
